


Wounds Not Yet Healed

by BloodylocksBathory



Series: Had to Listen, Had No Choice [2]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Kink Meme, M/M, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Weight Gain, foot in mouth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-18 03:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2333882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodylocksBathory/pseuds/BloodylocksBathory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Guardians and the Ravagers reunite for a little celebration. All goes well until someone says the wrong thing and a painful subject gets addressed. Something that happened within the year that both teams were apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ravager first mate Kraglin Obfonteri woke up feeling lousy. He could not initially put his finger on it, but he just felt like crap. As he sat up, ruffling his mohawk, he felt a dull ache flow throughout his limbs.

Ugh. Welcome to motherhood, he supposed. Scratching the stretching skin on his belly, he stood up, failed to ease any of the pain from his bones, and wandered to the toilet. Perhaps a hot shower would help.

 _The things I do for you_... he silently mused, shaking his head.

The first mate stood for several minutes under the spray, doing little else but enjoying the heat against the ache. He could not stay much longer, however. Yondu was already generous enough to let him sleep as long as he wanted, to excuse him when he had to leave his post and be sick. The life of a Ravager did not exactly give days off for good behavior, let alone lower expectations over a little something like the act of reproducing.

Sighing, Kraglin reached for a sponge to hastily wash himself. Perhaps if he hurried, there would still be some food left, hopefully even that dish the captain had gone out of his way to acquire just for his second in command...

He was on the floor before he had truly registered the pain which stabbed his lower back. In fact, the agony was so intense he thought he really had been attacked by an armed assailant. Out of instinct, he reached for the source and found no blood on his hand. So why was the water escaping down the drain steadily becoming redder?

Kraglin struggled to his feet and managed to shut off the faucet. Looking down, he knew he was not seeing things. Blood was dripping down his thighs.

He remembered screaming for his captain. Yondu was by his side and shouting for a medic, though the time in between the cry for help and the response was lost in the pain. Kraglin had not wanted to scream. He had sworn to himself he would not do so even when he would give birth, so many months from now.

So much more time... he needed more time... this wasn't enough...

Yondu was speaking to him. He could not understand the words, but he could hear the voice, uncharacteristically soft for the Ravager captain. He hated the softness; it meant the worst was happening. He heard the sound of fabric tearing, then vaguely felt the balled up material being pressed between his legs. Then more tearing, then the pressing again.

Then things got silent for a few painfully slow seconds and Yondu finally said, "oh hell."

His first mate was in too much agony to notice much of what he did next. Kraglin felt Yondu leave his side and bark orders at someone else - the medic? - and then opened his eyes and saw him pass a wad of bloodstained shredded sheets to them. Kraglin would not be able to put the imagery together to make sense of it until hours later, when the physical pain would be overcome by that of the emotional variety.

For now he would continue to moan and bleed and fall into welcome unconsciousness, with Yondu's head touching his own and strong, gentle hands cupping his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yondu be trollin', they hatin'...

"Watch out!" Rocket said with a laugh.

The Guardians of the Galaxy collectively dodged a ball that came hurtling their way, all except Gamora, who was within reach of its trajectory. The green-skinned assassin grabbed it and, smiling at the two shy little children who were more fishlike than human, knelt down to return the toy. They ran down the path, continuing their game. The streets were lined with vendors and buyers alike. The weather was damp (appropriate for the natives) but neither cold or muggy.

Planet Ryak wasn't terrible.

"Quill!" a pleasantly surprised voice called out from the far end of the block. Quill suppressed a groan.

The content therein however...

Quill grimaced, prepared himself, and turned with forced cheerfulness.

"Yondu!" he said with a smile that was perhaps a little too wide. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I see nothing fancy about it," he heard Drax say behind him.

Yondu was sporting his jagged grin as always, and trailing behind him were three other Ravagers, his first mate included. Kraglin smirked in greeting, as always.

Hopefully this encounter would not turn out as always.

Things began promisingly, with the Ravager captain pulling Quill into a bear hug. The Guardians were - not surprisingly - uneasy and on their guard to be reuniting with the same people who had previously placed a bounty on their leader, the very man they had raised as one of their own. Yondu was unpredictable. Sometimes he made decisions based on sentiment, but more often than not, he judged based on revenge or monetary gain.

Groot was the only one who seemed to be smiling, probably the only genuine smile in the group, with Rocket glaring at him in kind. Guardians and Ravagers exchanged very awkward pleasantries while Yondu stayed focused on Quill.

"Small universe, ain't it," the Centaurian said.

"Funny how we keep runnin' into each other," Kraglin added.

"Yes, yes, it's a small world after all," Quill replied, rolling his eyes. "Seriously though, you guys really gotta stop following us. What, did you lose that troll doll I gave you?"

"Don't tempt me, boy." A clap on Quill's back nearly knocked the wind out of the Terran. "We just got a job done and I'm in a particularly good mood."

"What job?" Gamora said, the alarm clear in her voice. The rest of the Guardians followed suit, fearing he answer.

"Just a trifle," Yondu answered. "Involving a centuries-old relic."

A collective groan rang out, tinged with a "SERIOUSLY??" from Rocket.

"You do this to us on purpose," Quill said, feeling like a parent reprimanding a rebellious teen.

"Well to be fair it was for a good cause," Kraglin reasoned smugly. "We took a museum as our client."

"WE took the museum for a client, numbnuts!" Rocket shouted, drawing the attention of the locals. "This shit is deliberate!"

Yondu stared Rocket down, literally. "Sue me."

" _Anyway_..." Kraglin interrupted.

"Yeah, anyway!" his captain exclaimed, arms open. "We're lookin' to celebrate. Seein' as we're the ones in the good damn mood..."

"For screwing us over," Rocket muttered.

"... and findin' alla y'all here by total coincidence," Yondu continued, undaunted. "We might as well celebrate together."

Quill pursed his lips for a moment, glancing at teams both past and present. This could very likely be a trick. Although the Ravagers had already done their damage by stealing away the Guardians' own assignment.

"Where's your ship?"

"Nice try," Yondu sneered. "We ain't havin' the festivities anywhere near the relic."

Quill shrugged. "Sue me. But the Milano won't hold everybody."

"We know a place three streets down," Kraglin explained. "Tavern. Not safe whatsoever, really rowdy."

Quill glanced back at his team. Drax was smiling. Gamora was not, but she did not look especially against the invitation. She eyed Quill with that look. We'll follow your lead.

"I'd say..." he replied, turning back to the Ravagers. "You've got some additions to your guest list."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn it, Rocket.

The tavern was easy to find. Unlike the quaint, peaceful nature of the marketplaces the Guardians of the Galaxy had been exploring and enjoying, this local watering hole was a raucous den claimed by passersby from throughout space. Natives would have to look elsewhere unless they wanted to get clobbered in the usual drunken "good-natured" manslaughter.

Perfect for Ravagers.

The barkeep, robust and resembling a Terran anglerfish, seemed to recognize his new patrons, the Ravagers for their notoriety and the Guardians for the word of mouth which spread lightning-fast after the defeat of Ronan the Accuser. He heartily welcomed both groups in, though gave a long glance at the mere sight of Drax.

"He gets like that when the big boys come in," Yondu explained.

The Ravagers took a corner of the tavern for themselves, present customers having claimed the spot be damned. When a fuss started to kick up, Quill nudged Drax into sight, and within seconds the corner was vacant. Yondu laughed.

"We need to bring you on some of our jobs, muscle-head," he remarked, then called for drinks for both his crew and the Guardians.

"I am not well-learned in the form of bipeds," Drax replied, "but I am quite certain my head is made of more than muscle."

"Don't mind him," Quill quickly interjected.

"We remember," Kraglin said, grabbing a mug of ale. "I nearly got my head torn off for punching his arm."

Drax looked baffled. "Had your head been torn off, you would not have had the time to know..."

"HEEYYYY have a drink already," Quill interrupted him, shoving a full mug into the Destroyer's hands.

"Good damn idea!" Yondu exclaimed, clanking drinks together with several of his fellow Ravagers, one of which Quill was certain he heard say that Drax was much better when he kept his damn mouth shut.

In no time at all, Drax had engaged in a fist fight with some brute who had a surprise third arm, which made the scuffle more interesting. Gamora showed much more restraint, especially when it came to how much she drank.

"It's less boring if you join us," Quill said as he raised a mug.

"I like boring," the green-skinned assassin replied with a smile. "It's a change of pace from what I'm used to."

Quill smiled back and glanced over at Yondu, who was roaring with laughter alongside Kraglin. When he saw the man he had raised head toward the bar, the Centaurian called out to him, perhaps a little more loudly than necessary.

"Grab us a few more while yer up there, boy!"

Quill waved back without looking.

"I will, I'm just gonna ask for a request on music first."

"More Than a Woman!" a Ravager shouted in request.

"Craw-shit!" another yelled. "No More Mister Nice Guy!"

As it turned out, the tavern was not technologically advanced enough to play Quill's awesome mixes. They never were. One day though. He would find a place that would, and then he would show a place full of strangers what real music was. That would teach them... something.

"No go?" Gamora asked, perhaps a little smugly. Her grasp of Terran sayings was rather becoming of her. Quill shrugged, mugs balanced precariously in his arms as Ravagers from left and right plucked them from his grasp.

"These people don't know good music, that's all."

Gamora looked nearly ready to take the last mug for himself, a sly smile marking her lovely features. She reached out a green hand...

"Jeeeeze, buddy, what the hell happened??"

Quill and Gamora turned at the sound of Rocket's surprised voice, as did most others within earshot, wondering what the hell the fuss was about. Rocket was staring up at Kraglin, who had stood and removed his cloak. Not until now did Quill realize Yondu's first mate had still been wearing it all this time. From the sight of the sweat on the Xandarian's brow, he had likely removed it from the heat. But this shedding of the heavy garment had not been the most puzzling sight. Not nearly.

Kraglin's uniform was not fitting properly. Not that this was news. But usually the dull red leather was a little too loose. This time it was too tight. In fact the fastenings of the snug uniform were beginning to strain over...

That was unreal.

Peter Quill had known Kraglin since he had been taken in by the Ravagers, and the first mate had always been rail-thin. Even a year ago, practically to the date, when both teams had joined forces to stop Ronan and save Xandar, he had still been that rail. Now however...

Shit, was it a tumor? If so, Kraglin had to be dying. Kraglin was not the type to get fat. Still, the bulge of the Xandarian's belly was blatantly visible to everyone, the same everyone who were now staring at him.

Rocket was not finished with his amazed outburst. "I know you're the captain's favorite and all, but he should cut back on your share of food, 'cause people might get the impression he knocked you up!"

Drax had rejoined the group, giddy with drink, he quickly sobered when he saw how silent the room had become. Kraglin, who had once been cheering and guffawing with the rest, had experienced an instantaneous change, his smile having dropped into a glare.

Rocket did not take the hint, either too drunk or too uncaring. He started to snicker. "Hell, if you're drinking for two, maybe you should stick with water!"

That did it. Kraglin pursed his lips for a moment as though considering what to say, and finally downed the rest of his mug and grabbed his cloak, gathering it up in front of him as though attempting to subtly cover his belly.

Kraglin had a belly. Quill was not sure he would ever get over that.

"Yeah, fuck you very much," the Xandarian said dully as he walked past Rocket and tossed the empty mug aside. It shattered on the floor. The Guardians watched as the Ravager made a beeline for the door, stepping out into the night. When Rocket turned back to ask for an explanation, he had the wind knocked out of him as his small body was slammed right into a nearby wall.

"Yondu, what the hell!" Quill exclaimed, rushing forward. Rocket already had squirmed enough to get one of his weird invented pulse guns out, but Yondu, one heavy boot still pinning the furry Guardian to the wall, had his coat open.

"Yondu, WAIT"--

That dreaded piercing whistle rose over the commotion. The Guardians saw the glint of the golden Yaka arrow in the dim tavern light, hovering over Rocket and aimed right between his eyes, and hurried forth. Every Ravager, having laughed and drank with the Guardians only seconds before, raised a weapon.

A long, tense silence passed over the whole of the tavern. Rocket's expression was not fearful. In fact, he did not have much of an expression at all, only staring at the arrow which seemed to be hovering ever closer. Finally giving a defiant sneer... Rocket dropped his weapon. His friends expected it to explode on impact with the floor, but thankfully it didn't.

Though now without a weapon, Rocket was not let off of the wall, let alone relieved of threat by Yaka arrow. Yondu's crimson stare bore into him, eyes narrowed with the temptation to just kill the little rat where he stood.

"Yondu." Quill carefully said. "Please? Explain what happened?"

Finally the Centaurian whistled again, grabbing the arrow as it returned to him. He stepped back and Rocket fell to his knees, coughing from the stress against his ribs. The Ravagers lowered their weapons and Groot hurried over to his partner.

"Consider yerself lucky, varmint," Yondu muttered, putting the golden weapon back into its sheath. He glared back at Quill.

"The explanation," he stated, "is that he _was_ pregnant." He lowered his gaze. "'Was' bein' the key word. Now... not so much." He turned on his heel and returned to the corner, picking up a mug of ale.

"Put a muzzle on your stupid friend before I quiet him for good."

All cheer and lifted spirits had been pulled from the group like a vacuum. The other Ravagers returned to their own drinks, and Rocket stomped over to the bar, more likely to nurse his pride than his injuries, Groot following close behind.

Drax was a little too drunk to understand what had just happened. He nudged Quill's arm.

"Friend Quill," he addressed him in low tones. "What is the meaning of this tumult? Should this not be a happy event if Yondu's mate is with child?"

Quill was still letting the Centaurian's explanation sink in, as well as the fact that Kraglin could get knocked up in the first place. "Like he said: WAS pregnant."

"And based off of the mood that just took over our celebration..." Gamora added.

"Yeah." Quill glanced at the floor. "Kraglin lost it. Probably wanted to keep it. Shit."

Drax looked as though he had been slapped in the face. If a stranger was not wiser, they might have presumed the miscarriage had happened to him. Quill picked up a glass, downed what little was left inside it, and headed toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Gamora called out.

"I'm gonna find him."

"Quill, wait!" The Destroyer trundled after his comrade, looking slightly dizzy. "Perhaps I may be of assistance. I know the pain of losing a child."

Quill looked up at Drax's imploring expression and squeezed his arm.

"Maybe when you're less drunk. But thanks for the offer."

Drax nodded, a little disappointed, and brought his and the Terran's foreheads together for a friendly tap, though his inebriated state left Peter Quill wincing with pain.

"Be a little less boring, okay?" Quill called back to Gamora, who shook her head, smiling. Closing the door behind him, the man known as Star Lord walked out in search of an old friend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quill has a little heart-to-heart.

Okay, so at times Kraglin Obfonteri could be a monumental pain in the ass. He and Peter drove each other crazy more often than Quill could count on both hands. But alongside Yondu, the Xandarian second-in-command was the one who had raised him. Stuck in space with a mother dead and a father absent since before he could remember, thrown into the business of thieves and scumbags, beggars could not be choosers when it came to family. Quill would never have been the ace thief he was today if not for the Ravager captain and first mate.

Not that he did the two of them any favors either. In hindsight, Quill had always found humor in the fact that Kraglin himself swore to never have kids of his own thanks to the "Terran pain in the ass".

"Any thoughts I ever had," he said years back, "they've been stamped out quick."

Not completely stamped out, Quill thought grimly.

Spending his life since the age of seven on various planets and space stations, not to mention encountering alien life of every form, pregnancy amongst conventionally male individuals was no surprise to Quill. Some species reproduced like seahorses, while others changed sex entirely. Every once in a while, an anomaly would pop up in Xandarian biology, simple as that, and only minutes before, Kraglin had been revealed to be one of such anomalies. Xandar, with its figuratively and literally colorful populace, thought little of it, and a ship full of outcasts like the Ravagers thought even less of it. As long as you pulled your weight onboard, Quill remembered, your strangeness was hardly a bother to anyone.

The fact that Kraglin had actually allowed himself to get pregnant, however, was the real surprise.

Giving a long sigh, he walked at a casual pace, mulling over what to say as he searched for the Ravager ships.

The outskirts proved to be a correct guess, within walking distance but still beyond the town borders. Quill had been around Yondu's specific vessel long enough to recognize it, though some parts had to be replaced after the battle with Ronan. Quill wondered for a moment if all the cute little knick-knacks still decorated the dashboard, especially the troll doll.

The port was open, the steps down. Kraglin may have been too angry to have bothered locking up behind him, but he could still shoot any unwelcome visitors in the face. Prepared to dodge a laser blast, he ascended the steps and leaned into the doorway. So far, so good. No one inhabited the cockpit, so he entered the bunk, knocking on the frame.

Kraglin sat on the bed, huddled over with his elbows resting on his knees. He turned, expecting Yondu, and stiffened at the sight of his vistor. Both were silent for what seemed like a very long few seconds, with Quill lingering at the entrance.

"Hey," Quill finally said.

Kraglin returned to staring at the wall, expression unreadable. "Hey yourself."

Another long moment of uncomfortable silence passed before Quill finally decided to address the elephant in the room.

"So... is it true?"

"For fuck's sakes, it ain't the end of the world," Kraglin snapped, disgusted. He pointed an accusing finger at Quill. "And don't you dare fuckin' pity me."

Quill put up his hands in defense. "Noted, man, noted!" He kept back at first, lingering in the doorway, then finally took the risk. "Permission to enter...?"

Kraglin sighed. "Fine."

For a handful of minutes, both sat on the edge of the bed. The silence was deafening. Quill could not resist stealing glances at the first mate, particularly a certain part of his body. His belly was especially prominent now that he was leaning forward.

"Two months," Kraglin said, startling Quill.

"Pardon?"

Kraglin still did not look at the younger man. "It was two months ago. Haven't been able to knock the extra off yet."

"How uh..." all of Quill's preconceived ideas of what to say had completely left his mind. "How far...?"

"I'm gettin' another drink," the Xandarian stated, rising to open a compartment in the wall. He removed a violet bottle, then paused. "You want one?"

"Sure."

A second bottle was removed and passed to Quill. Kraglin returned to the bed, sitting against the wall, and opened his own bottle. He took a long swig before answering the question.

"I was somewhere 'round six months gone, had maybe five left. Was set to see a doctor again at that point, actually. A coupla days from then." His expression softened for a moment, his eyes distant. "He was really startin' to move by then."

His voice was bereft of emotion, but the words still squeezed at Quill's heart. So... Kraglin had gotten attached to the little polliwog. He remembered his former crewmate's warning about pity, so he hoped his look of sympathy did not come across as feeling sorry for the older man.

"How did Yondu feel?"

Kraglin looked up at him. "About which part?"

"Well... I guess when you first found out about getting, you know... in a family way."

The phrase sounded so dumb when it left Quill's lips, and he closed his eyes to hide the fact that they rolled.

"Shocked. Panic-stricken. Well... maybe that last one was me." The Xandarian took another swig. "See, I was on these little tablets that made sure I didn' get into that kinda pickle." He instinctively indicated his thumb and forefinger to illustrate the small size of the drug. "Last time I got myself some, dealer said they were the real deal."

He gave a joyless chuckle as he recalled the event, his voice on the verge of a slur from the evening of drink. "I still don't think that jackass is able to walk... after what I did to him."

Quill almost asked for details, but found it much more interesting to imagine the possibilities. Instead he switched gears, hoping he sounded subjective.

"Would it have been too dangerous to end it?" he asked, taking a drink from his bottle.

"Nah. To tell the truth... we just decided to keep it." He glanced up and saw the look on Quill's face. He was not aghast, but he still looked surprised. "I know. Space pirates and all that can't be runnin' no nursery. Not to mention you bein' such a pain in the ass when you were a little sprout."

He looked aside and smirked, almost looking sentimental.

"But you were our pain in the ass."

Quill gave a small smile. "Gee, thanks."

"Figure that musta been what made Yondu okay with the idea too," Kraglin polished off his drink. "With you gone, I guess you could call it empty nest syndrome... don't tell him I said that."

Quill laughed. "I won't." He got serious again. "Did the medic find out any reason why you lost it?"

"I didn't need to ask." Kraglin's eyes were glazed, and Quill wondered if this was from all of the drinking or if his friend was about to shed a few tears. The first mate took a deep breath before he continued.

"Because I thought the drugs were workin', I didn' know I was how I was... so I kept as usual. Drank... I wasn't surprised when the medic suggested that was the cause."

Quill ruffled his ginger hair, looking everywhere but Kraglin's pained expression. He swallowed uncomfortably. Peter Quill could not remember any time in his life when he saw the Xandarian look so vulnerable. If he cried now, this would be the first time Quill had ever seen him do so.

"I, uh..." he cleared his throat. "Don't take it the wrong way. But I'm sorry it happened."

"S'okay," Kraglin replied. "You didn't do it."

They shared a laugh, though the joke was not particularly funny.

"I was the reason we actually came to this rock in the first place," Kraglin mused aloud. "I mean, we found out about the relic too, but... we heard about a doctor who could help me out."

Quill's eyebrows raised. "You guys wanna try again? I mean, not that I'm opposed to that, it would be nice to have a little brother or sister..."

"Sorry to disappoint," Kraglin interrupted him. "But what happened with me... the two of us... we gave this parenthood thing a chance and didn't give it more thought than that. And then it ended bad. And I don't want anymore bad endings. So..."

"So it's not that kind of help," Quill finished for him.

Kraglin was silent. He stared at the sheets in front of him, a single tear escaping his eye. He angrily wiped it away, but his former crewmate had seen it. Quill knew any serious attempts at comfort would be unwelcome by someone like Kraglin, unless the giver was looking forward to a knife in the knee.

Only one thing for it. Quill rose from his seat, momentarily dizzy, and joined Kraglin on the bed, sitting beside him against the wall. He held up his bottle, not quite empty.

"You want the rest? Just that I'm driving, is all."

Kraglin shook his head at the attempt at humor and took the bottle, finishing off the drink. Neither spoke for a while. This time the silence felt helpful, cleansing in a way.

"You find this doctor yet?" Quill asked after about five minutes.

"Yeah. The money from that museum sure was a convenient coincidence."

Quill looked at him, his expression softened. He nudged Kraglin's arm. "You want some company when you go?"

Kraglin genuinely smiled, leaning his head against Quill's for a few seconds.

"Yondu's going with. To make sure the doc doesn't make any mistakes. Malpractice ain't good for doctors who treat Ravagers."

" _And_ it's because he took a shining to you," Quill said slyly, elbowing him. "Eh? Eh?"

Kraglin leaned away, grinning and shoving at the Terran. "You're a dumbass."

"And don't you forget it," Quill replied, grinning back. Their spirits lifted, he rose from the bed, throwing away the empty bottles. He turned to look at the man who had a major part in raising him. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. I will be." Kraglin leaned sideways until he fully lay on the bed, rolling over and easing himself into a comfortable position. "Gettin' back to my usual weight's been slow goin', but I'll get there."

"That's not what I"--

"I know what you meant." Kraglin looked at him sternly. It was a look Peter Quill had received a few times as a child on the ship, as well as from his mother before then. It was a parental look.

"Til next time," Quill said with a smile as he left the ship, shutting the port behind him and returning to town.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yondu reunites with Kraglin, but not before giving Quill a proper talking to. Or so he thinks.

Steps wobbly and gut sloshing with ale, Yondu joined the rest of his crew as they returned to their ships. Under one arm was a small crate. He wished his other arm held a very dead hairball of a creature that did not know how to keep its yap shut. Still, celebrating a successful job without having to clean any blood off of his coat was a bonus. He had not followed Kraglin back to his ship earlier in the night. His first mate had left the festivities by himself for a reason. The Centaurian noticed Quill's own departure, but he did not bother intervening. Either Kraglin would shoot the boy in the nuts for bothering him or make an exception for him and let him in.

 

Although if that were the case, Quill might have taken the opportunity to find the stolen relic and take it. That boy wouldn't have stooped so low at a time like this... would he?

 

If so, that little shithead was going to be in big trouble. This was different from that damn orb. Quill and his friends and that loudmouth little rat would not be getting a mere slap on the wrist if they screwed Yondu Udonta over this time.

 

Looking ahead, he saw a familiar figure running toward him. The nerve of him, that little brat!

 

"You!" his growl was not nearly so intimidating when he was even remotely drunk. "I gotta score to settle with you..."

 

Quill looked at him as though seeing him for the first time in an age. "Oh, hey, Yondu." The greeting completely threw the Centaurian.

 

"Just a minute, ya little brat. If you got that damn hunk of rock..."

 

"Look for yourself," Quill replied, opening his coat and giving a brisk twirl. "Can't exactly hide it anywhere without being pretty damn conspicuous."

 

Though buzzed, Yondu still had enough visual competence to see his protegé was right. No weird bulges or warped clothing.

 

"See? If I tried, I'd probably try to look more like Kraglin, who by the way is fine now." The redheaded Terran became serious for just a moment. "Rocket's still in one piece, I hope...?"

 

"By the skin of his little rodent teeth," Yondu answered, frowning.

 

"With that... exception," Quill cleared his throat, then continued, "it was good to see you guys, all things considered. Tell pops I hope the appointment goes well."

 

Unsure of how much his first mate had revealed, Yondu hesitantly nodded. With a clap on the shoulder, Quill took off back to town, returning to his new team. Rubbing at his eyes, the Ravager captain walked the rest of the way to his ship.

 

*

 

Glancing into the bunk he shared with his first mate, Yondu saw it best to enter quietly. Kraglin's chest slowly moved with each sleeping breath as he lay curled up on his side, wrapped in a cocoon of bedclothes.

 

Though he indeed had not seen the artifact anywhere on Quill's person, Yondu still followed the edict to never be too careful. Sneaking past Kraglin's motionless form, he pressed a code into a seemingly plain tile in the wall. It softly illuminated, moved forward, then to the right, and revealed a hidden compartment. Sure enough, the relic lay within, unbothered.

 

"He didn't take it," Kraglin said from behind, his voice slightly muffled from sleep. A small smile marking his features, the captain turned to look at his second-in-command, whose back was still turned to him. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Yondu pulled off his jacket and boots, eased further onto the bed, and wrapped his arms around Kraglin, inhaling the scent of his tussled mohawk. The Xandarian nudged against his captain with the back of his head, tranquil in Yondu's hold.

 

"I'm almost disappointed he let us keep it for once," Yondu remarked.

 

Kraglin shrugged in his lover's arms. "Probably felt sorry for me after all."

 

"Hey now," blue fingers touched a pale cheek. "That ain't our boy's way, you know that. He said he hoped your appointment goes well."

 

"He ain't the only one," Kraglin replied, turning his head to kiss the hand.

 

Yondu lifted his head to get a better look at his lover's unreadable expression. "You alright?"

 

"Yeah. Memories just came back awful strong at the tavern, but it's all behind me now."

 

The Centaurian rested his cheek against a shorn, tattooed scalp. "I mean beyond that. Are you really?"

 

"Get under these covers," Kraglin said, twisting in place and waiting for his captain to do as requested. Once their bodies were in complete contact, the Xandarian Ravager nuzzled a blue neck. "Yeah, I'm alright." The nuzzle became a kiss which traveled upward until their lips joined.

 

Neither Ravager was sober or lively enough to take the intimacy further for the night, so they fell asleep curled up against each other. Their lives together had hit a snag, but they were repairing it now, able to heal stubborn wounds and hopefully one day return to their own approximation of domestic happiness.

 

END

**Author's Note:**

> Another reply to a prompt from the Guardians kink meme:  
> When Peter calls the Ravagers during the course of the movie, Kraglin is the stick that Peter always remembered.  
> When they stumbled upon the Ravagers almost a year later, it's clear that Kraglin's put on weight.  
> One of the Guardians makes the observation that he's put on weight/looks like he's pregnant. As it turns out, he was pregnant, but very recently miscarried and is having difficulty knocking the weight.  
> \+ Yondu is very overprotective.


End file.
